10-20-40-100 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. N.M. Bullock threw open the doors of their spacious home, where Miss Johnny Cone entertained the Epworth League with a Halloween party. The decorations were in regular Halloween colors of orange and black. As the guests arrived Miss Johnny found the Leaguers had all become ghosts. They were ushered into the living room where a guessing contest took place to find out whose face was hidden under the mask. From there they were led to the spook’s den where a witch in quaint attire read their fortunes. Guests were served cherry cream and cake with cobweb brooks as favors.
Fire Chief Percy Diehl asked The Reporter to call attention to the fact that it is unlawful for any person whomsoever to borrow any equipment of the fire department. It seemed that it had become a practice with some people of “borrowing” the ladders and other equipment off the hook-and-ladder truck. This was a dangerous practice and needed to be stopped. The Halloween pranksters also went beyond the bounds of all reason when they removed the hook-and-ladder truck from its place of abode and left it several blocks away.
John Ellis, one of the oldest citizens of Rockdale, died at the home of his daughter south of town and was buried in the new city cemetery. Rev. G.S. Tumlin, pastor of the Baptist Church, officiated. Decedent was 68 year of age and came to Rockdale in the early days of the town’s life.
40 YEARS AGO… Seven members of Rockdale Junior High’s Big Gold Band, under the direction of Curtis Owens, qualified for the UIL all-region band in competition at Waco’s Connally High School. They are Kim Schroeder, Madelyn Petty, Missy Bryant, Rene Munoz, Mike LaRue and Jody Darby.
20 YEARS AGO… A gentle giant, Travis Grindle, 6-foot, 8-inches tall with a heart and grin to match, died unexpectedly at his home. The former University of Arkansas basketball star came to Rockdale in 1961, hired by then Junior-High Principal Ernie Lawrence as a teacher and coach. He touched countless lives in this roles, and also as juniorhigh principal after he succeeded the man who hired him. Grindle retired from the RISD in 1992.
The Rockdale Historical was to receive a $25,000 grant from the Texas Preservation Trust Fund that would ensure a major portion of the renovation project at the former International & Great Northern Depot.
10 YEARS AGO… The deadline was reached for downtown building owners involved in the Aug. 29 wall collapse to provide informati0n to the City of Rockdale so it could proceed with a procedure which may lead to demolition of one or both. The city had yet to hear from the owners and hadn’t even fully determined who owned the former Cameo Insurance building, the most badly-damaged structure in the collapse of a 19th Century wall.
The Rockdale Municipal Development District (MDD) board came through with a $30,000 grant for the Kay Theatre Foundation, a move that could raise the curtain on the first productions in the 1940s-era venue now being restored.
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